JIS Services

A team of medical professionals from South Florida will arrive in the island on Wednesday (June 15) to begin a nine-day medical mission.
The group, headed by Dr. Paula Anderson-Wort, family practitioner at the Nova Southeastern University Medical Centre, is expected to provide health services to nearly 3,000 patients in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine, St. Mary and St. Ann. Included are general practitioners, dentists, optometrists, pediatricians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, pharmacists and nutritionists.
Started in 2000, the mission reaches some 2,200 patients throughout the island every year. Patients are treated for dental and eye conditions, diabetes, hypertension, allergy and dermatology symptoms, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well as occupational and physical therapy.
Students in nearly 10 schools are also visited and last year, prisons were added to the programme.Dr. Wort noted that patients have responded overwhelming to the medical team, and the improvement in the health condition of the patients have been gratifying to all involved.
One interesting feature of the work of the medical mission, Dr. Wort said, is the provision of health education sessions, to help persons develop healthy lifestyles. She explained that this was as persons were eager for the information at the institutions visited.
Don Daly of Miami-based CRI Communications, who initiated the programme, has expressed appreciation to the Ministries of Health, National Security and Finance and Planning, for their continued commitment and overwhelming support of the work of the medical team.
Other sponsors who have committed to the mission are Air Jamaica, Moneygram, Jamaica National Building Society, GraceKennedy, Kingston Miami Trading, Pepsi Cola Limited, Juicy patties, Pegasus Hotel, Sandals Resorts, Beaches Boscobel and Golden Seas Resorts.